


Simon

by Transformersfan123



Series: Simon [1]
Category: Adventure Time
Genre: Adventure, Adventure Time - Freeform, Betty Grof - Freeform, Crown, Crystal - Freeform, Dark Magic, Dark Past, Dating, Demon, Demon Prince, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Human, Ice, Ice King - Freeform, Manipulation, Marriage, Monsters, Princess - Freeform, Romance, Simon Petrikov - Freeform, Snow, Trapped, Vampires, black magic, fight, finn - Freeform, ice crown, marceline - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 08:24:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13360446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transformersfan123/pseuds/Transformersfan123
Summary: Simon was trapped. He was NOT the Ice King. It was something that HE made Simon be. Who was HE? The being that made him steal princesses. The being that fed off of his pain, his misery, his shame. He had been trapped for over nine hundred years. He had fought long and hard with no success, but now he would have help. Why? Because she loved him enough to love the Ice King.





	1. Crystal

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my first Adventure Time fic. I think that this follows the series up to Season...5? and then diverts. It definitely diverts after Betty's been in Ooo a while, but she hasn't got Magic Man's magic in her. This first chapter is rather short, but there is more. Much more. :) Enjoy!

"Are you sure, my dear?" Princess Bubblegum asked nervously.

The red haired woman stood straight and tall, her blue eyes flashing. The group before her consisted of all the royalty in the lane of Ooo. They were staring at her with various expressions; some were shocked, others were horrified. None of them would ever understand, so she wasn't going to even try to explain. They didn't need to know why she was doing this anyway. It was personal.

"I am, Princess."

"Well then, if nobody has any objections, we shall proceed."

They stood up and Princess Bubblegum joined the fair skinned woman up in the front of the group. A book was brought forward and sacred oaths were taken.

"And now, Crystal," Princess Bubblegum said softly. "I dub thee the princess of ice and snow. Let's get you a gown and crown. And I certainly hope you know what you're doing."

Crystal nodded. "I do."

Crystal was led away into a room to be measured. As she stood there, she thought to herself. She had lied to them about her name, but the rest was true. They wouldn't have known who she was anyway. Only a few in Ooo had heard of Betty Grof, and Simon was one of those few. And she was hoping that that knowledge would save him.


	2. But What?

The Ice King watched morosely as Gunter played around with the other penguins. His latest scheme to capture Slime Princess was foiled again by Finn and Jake. All he wanted was to be loved. He'd had a feeling he had felt some sort of undying flame of love before, and from a princess, but he couldn't remember what princess it was. The only thing that stuck out about her were eyes as blue as deep ice. No princess had eyes that dark shade of blue. As for the ones that had blue eyes, they looked faded, worn, pathetic compared to the pure beauty that was bestowed upon _his_ princess.

The Ice King sighed, a deep sigh of longing and confusion. Why couldn't he remember? He wanted to so badly, but when he tried, when he felt as if he were close enough to touch it, he began to react physically. There was a splitting pain inside his skull, as if his brain contained lightning. Then every muscle in his body tightened, spasming and creating agony that paralyzed him. An unearthly howl would pass from his lips that made the icicles on the ceiling quiver. It was a long, loud howl that made the penguins run for cover, and it was so pain filled that the Ice King knew that it was more pain then he was experiencing.

So he had severely limited his remembering.

He sighed again. Seconds later he sat bolt upright. He heard a song. The voice singing it was beautiful. It had to be an angel. He was up and out the window before he thought about it. He followed the voice to a valley of snow, pure and white and undisturbed. Undisturbed, that is, save a line of dainty footprints that ended in a slowly moving figure. The Ice King made a wide half circle and stopped behind a group of rocks that extended for a while in the direction that the figure was moving. He peeked over the edge to see what she looked like, for the voice was from a female.

What the Ice King saw took his breath away. Her hair was red, flowing gently to her shoulders. She wore a pair of glasses that were shaped like raindrops. Her skin was pale, extremely pale, and a light dusting of freckles ran from cheek to cheek over her nose. She wore a dress of dark blue, with a lightweight, silver-colored, sheer fabric that was pattered with snowflakes over the entire length of her dress. A light blue cape dragged in the snow behind her, so soft upon the white powder that it made no impression.

She was the most beautiful creature that he had ever laid eyes on. And there, on the top of her head, was a delicate tiara with dark blue sapphires. Was she a princess? He should capture her to make her his…No. He should not capture her. He couldn't. She was special. A prison cell would not do her justice. But how else would he woo her? If he was honest with himself, he was quite bad with the ladies. None of his princess capturing schemes had ever worked. Maybe this was his chance to try something new. Yes, she deserved something better. But what?


	3. Strangely Familiar

There she was again, singing a lovely song. The Ice King had spent the last two weeks watching the fiery haired beauty in secret. He would fly along the line of rocks until there were none left then he would watch her walk off. He sighed and let the strangely familiar voice wash over him. He thought he knew the words to the song, but he could quite reach them. He stopped at the edge of the rocks and watched as she walked slowly away, longing in his heart.

He swallowed nervously, moving to hover above the rocks. Could he speak to her today? Before he could decide, she suddenly slipped and fell sideways down a hill. The Ice King's complete knowledge of the Ice Kingdom suddenly came in handy and he shot forward, all shyness gone. He grabbed the princess' wrist just before she plunged down the ravine. Carrying her up to safety, he gingerly set her down. He landed lightly beside her, suddenly shy again. He looked at her feet, which were shod with delicate slippers of the same blue as her dress. A single white snowflake was on the top of each shoe.

"Hello," she said. The Ice King's heart nearly stopped. She was speaking to him, and she didn't sound disgusted.

"Hi," he muttered.

"I'm Crystal, princess of snow and ice. But you can call me Betty."

"I'd rather call you Crystal. I like that name better," the Ice King said softly. "And I'm…the Ice King."

"I know. You're much more handsome than anybody said."

The Ice King blushed. "Really?"

"Of course."

"Well, you're as delicate as a snowflake, as beautiful as a valley covered in untouched snow, and your voice rings out as perfectly as an icicle that has just been struck," the Ice King said as he looked at her face, unable to believe what was coming out of his mouth.

This time it was Crystal's turn to blush, a soft bloom of color that ran across the skin that was decorated with freckles. "Thank you, my king. I rather like your blue skin. It reminds me of some of the deeper ice."

"Thank you…" he trailed off as he saw something that made his heart stop. Her eyes. They were the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. They were exactly what he remembered.

"Um, would you like to come over for snacks?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"Certainly," Crystal said softly. "Lead the way, my king."

"May I h-have your hand. I'll fly us there."

She gave him her hand and he flew upwards. She immediately grimaced and he dropped her.

"What's the matter?" he asked concernedly.

"Mayhap it would be better if you carried me around my waist," Crystal said. "You'll pull my arm out of socket otherwise."

The Ice King slowly came up behind her and grasped her firmly around her waist then lifted her into the air. The journey to his home was swift and he set her down when he got there. She looked around curiously and started when she heard a * _wack*_ beside her. She looked down and smiled.

"Aw, what a cute penguin! What's his name?"

"Gunter," the Ice King said. "I, um, I'll go get us some snacks."

"Thank you."

He hurried away while she pets Gunter. The Ice King pulled out some fresh cookies he'd baked. His kitchen had been coated, with great difficulty, in unmelting ice. His stove was made completely out of that same ice. He had baked the cookies for Gunter, but the princess would like them, too. Hopefully.

He created a stand for the tray when he had returned to the throne room. He set the tray down and Crystal stood up and walked over. She sniffed the still hot cookies and got an odd expression on her face. Taking up a cookie, she bit into it and chewed it slowly. A look of bliss appeared on her face and she quickly finished off the treat.

"Oh, Simon, you seem to remember some things. I just can't believe that you remember your mother's chocolate chip cookie recipe."

"What?" The Ice King looked extremely confused. "Who's Simon? Is he your…boyfriend?"

"No. You're Simon. And I don't know if you're my boyfriend yet."

"Wait, you'd want to be my girlfriend?"

"I've loved you for a long time, Simon."

The Ice King's cheeks flushed again. He was about to bask in her admission when something happened. His mind suddenly became clear for a brief instant and he looked away from her.

"I don't deserve it. Just look what I've done, Betty," he said brokenly, his voice an octave or two lower than normal.

"Oh, Simon. You can't help it," Betty said quickly.

"I don't want to abuse you. Run away."

"Never. I'll see this through to the end."

Simon looked up at her desperately, tears in his eyes. His body suddenly threw him into a convulsion and that unearthly howl came from between his lips. The next thing he knew, he was lying in Crystal's arms, sweating heavily. Gunter had a cool rag pressed to his head.

"Simon?"

"Are you going to keep calling me that?" the Ice King asked.

Crystal looked absolutely heartbroken. Her expression quickly melted into one of determination. "Yes. I will keep calling you that."

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

The Ice King sat up, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Um, Crystal. I know this is sudden and all. But nobody's ever said that to me before. Would you like to become my-my girlfriend?"

"Nothing would make me happier, Simon," she said with a smile.

 _'Simon,'_ the Ice King thought. _'It sounds familiar. Oh well. As long as she really means me.'_


	4. YOU WILL OBEY ME!

_Let me out!_

_Never! You're body is mine. I'm not going anywhere._

_She'll break the curse, drive you away, slaughter you!_

_Do you think she can look the other way? Look at what you've done! I'll drive her away yet. Tomorrow you're going to capture Wildberry Princess._

_No! She's coming over tomorrow!_

_Exactly. And you'll do it, too, because you're a sick, twisted freak who just wants his gorgeous princess back._

_Betty_ is _my princess!_

_YOU SHALL OBEY ME!_

_…*sob*_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Come on my dear," the Ice King muttered unenthusiastically, sitting dejectedly in front of the jail cell.

"Let me out, Ice King!" Wildberry princess screamed.

"Ice King!" Finn shouted as he leaped in with Jake.

"Great," Ice King sighed. His brain burned and he suddenly leaped up. "You two are pathetic! Let me have my princess!"

"She's not _your_ princess!" Jake said.

"No, she's not!" a strong, clear voice said. "I am."

The Ice King dropped from the air, his face suddenly hot. He felt as if he were about to die. Finn and Jake had turned to see Crystal standing there, a neutral expression on her face.

"Betty?" Jake asked in shock.

"Yes. Come talk with me. Simon, let Wildberry princess go. Now."

The Ice King hurried over and unlocked the cage. "Yes, my princess."

"Now take her home."

"Of course."

When the Ice King was gone, Betty sank to the floor, shivering.

"He captured another princess. I-I thought for sure he wouldn't. He remembers me. Sort of. And we're dating!"

"But Betty, why would he date you? You're not a princess," Finn said gently.

"The royalty in Ooo made me a princess. There was no princess of ice and snow and they'd been looking for a candidate for years. Nobody wanted the job because of Simon. I love him, and I told him I'd love him no matter what when we got engaged."

"Well, we can't let him capture princesses. We have to come over when he does."

"Go easy on him. He's in pain. He made this noise a week ago that made it sound like he was dying. Something is deathly wrong with him, and I know it has to do with that crown."

"Well, try to keep him under control," Jake said. "We're heading out to make sure Wildberry Princess is okay."

"Will do. Thank you."

The Ice King returned and kept his head down, playing with his beard and shuffling his feet. Crystal walked forward and stared at him. She gently grabbed his hands and held them in hers.

"Simon, look at me." When he did so she continued. "Why did you capture that princess? You've already captured _my_ heart. You should need no other."

"I had to," he said quietly, looking away again. "I have to capture princesses. I need them to love me."

"Need them to love you? _I_ love you Simon. I'll always love you. If you ever feel the need to capture a princess, capture me. I'll play along and Finn and Jake won't come to rescue me, so you won't receive any pain."

"But I can't capture you!" the Ice King gasped, looking horrified.

"Why not?" Crystal asked, looking confused.

"You're special."

Crystal smiled and kissed the Ice King's cheek, which flushed a dark blue, and his fingers settled on the place where her lips had touched him.

"You kissed me," he whispered.

"Yes," she said with a small smile on her face. "Now, let's dance. I brought some music."


	5. No Matter What

_She loves me still. You failed._

_I have many other tricks._

_Like what?_

_I can make you behave so horribly that she'll leave you._

_I doubt that. She loves me._

_That's going to be your fallback for everything isn't it?_

_Probably. But it's true._

_Just wait for tomorrow, Simon. You'll be so ashamed that you'll run for the hills._

_I hate you._

_Yes. That's the magnificent part. Sleep well, Simon._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Why on earth was he naked? He had to get dressed, but something was stopping him. He stared in the mirror, looking over his body. It looked horrible. He was much too skinny. He hadn't gained any weight in months. He looked starved, but he'd had plenty of food. He had been eating a lot recently, but it didn't show. It rarely showed. He gingerly touched his hips, tracing the bone that was practically cutting through his skin. He hated himself. How would she be able to look at him if they got married? She'd be disgusted.

Sighing he put on his underwear, but couldn't bring himself to pick up his robe. Twenty minutes later a call sounded out from the main room.

"Simon! I'm here!"

The Ice King didn't respond, just stared into the mirror looking at his emaciated body. She continued to call his name and he could tell she was moving around looking for him. Her voice got closer and closer and every single bit of him wanted to put on the robe and hide his shame. But he didn't move.

"Simon, are you in here?" Crystal asked, peeking her head around the corner.

Her face twisted in horror and she screamed, covering her mouth and stumbling back against the wall. Her eyes were wide and she was paler than normal. All she could do was stare.

As if dreaming, the Ice King slowly turned to look at her, confused. What was going on? Why did she look like that? He looked down at himself and it took about ten seconds to register what he was seeing. His face suddenly turned dark blue as shame filled him. He dove for the robe and held it in front of him to hide himself. He hid his face behind the blue material as well and began to cry. He'd never felt such crippling emotion before.

There was stillness for a few minutes, broken only by the Ice King's sobs. Then he heard her stand and walk over to stand in front of him.

"Simon?" she whispered. "Simon, my love, look at me."

The Ice King shook his head. "N-no!"

She placed her hands over his and lowered the robe enough to see his tear stained face. He was looking away. Keeping one hand on the middle of the top of the robe to keep it down, she used the other to turn his face toward her.

"I love you, Simon."

"How? How can you love me like this?"

"I will love you no matter what," Crystal said softly. "Now let me see."

"No," the Ice King moaned.

Crystal sighed, prying the robe from his trembling hands. She folded it neatly and set it aside then turned to look at him. She pursed her lips as she traced his ribs down to his stomach and over his hips. She did this several times then looked up into his tear-filled eyes.

"I love you Simon. I'm going to give you a kiss. Close your eyes."

The Ice King looked wary but did so. To his surprise, she pressed her lips against his. He inhaled her scent and suddenly the sunshine was bright again.

He pulled back and looked at his beautiful princess. She gasped. Instead of white eyes, his eyes were emerald green. The color of her Simon.

"Betty," he whispered softly, brushing a strand of fiery hair out of her face. "I love you. Break me out of this prison. Please. If you can break the curse of the crown, I will be free to use it how I want."

"How?"

"Love me. That's the only reason I can talk to you right now. Every time he throws you down a challenge, you defeat it and still love me. It's hurting him."

"Him? Him who?"

"My love, you might want to cover your ears," Simon said in a strained voice.

She obeyed, and he collapsed, howling his agony.


	6. Not This Time!

_Nobody should be able to love you that much! You're disgusting!_

_My Betty swore she would love me no matter what!_

_Even she has to have her limits!_

_…_

_What is her limit?_

_…I will never tell you._

_Wait…you won't be with her until your married right?_

_Don't you dare!_

_It's a slippery slope. One kiss can lead to a touch somewhere private and then…_

_No! I will_ never _do that to her!_

 _You_ will _obey me._

_Not this time!_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Ice King stared at his beautiful princess, looking at her curves. He wanted to touch, to make her his officially, but something stopped him. Even he had a rule about marriage before that sort of intimacy. It ran deeper than he knew, too, right down to his original personality. But still, seeing it wouldn't hurt, would it?

_NO! You shall not do that! She is a woman and deserves your respect!_

The Ice King sat bolt upright. He knew that voice. He heard it sometimes before he went to bed. It was a nice voice. There was a deeper one that wasn't so nice. The deep voice was the reason Crystal had seen him nearly naked. That had been humiliating, but good had come out of it. But this was different. The only way to make sure it wouldn't happen would be to speak up, but how could he say something like that to such a wonderful woman?

_You must try. She'll understand…I hope._

"Um, Crystal?"

"Yes, Simon?" she asked, standing up from feeding the penguins.

"I…I have a problem," the Ice King said, forcing out the words.

"Can I help?"

"No. We're not married."

She started. She'd never had Simon talk about that, though she had noticed him struggling with it before. She'd been too polite to mention it, but now he was bringing it up.

"Why are you telling me?"

"Because the nice voice told me to," the Ice King said.

Crystal froze. "The nice voice?"

"Yes. He's better than the mean voice. The mean voice is horrible."

"Oh Simon," Crystal said softly, walking up and gabbing his hands. "I love you."

_Tell her, "I love you, too."_

"I can't," the Ice King whispered.

"You can't what?" Crystal asked.

"Tell you I love you. It doesn't feel right."

"Well, I love you anyway. And I respect that you told me about your problems."

The Ice King smiled softly. "Thank you, Crystal."


	7. Breaking Free

_I forbid you from doing this!_

_You can't stop me._

_You will obey me!_

_You're starting to sound desperate. I'm breaking free and you can't do anything about it._

_You're mine!_

_I'm Betty's. I'm going to ask her tomorrow. Everything's ready. The Ice King is as eager for this as I am._

_I hate you._

_Yes. That's the magnificent part. Sleep well, Daemon._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Ice King watched her as she danced around the room to soft music. She was beautiful. He swallowed hard as the song ended. He flew over and turned off the stereo before another song could start.

"Crystal? May I ask you something?"

"Of course," she said, smiling sweetly.

The Ice King took a deep breath. "Crystal, I've only known you for four months now, but it feels like a lot longer than that. As time has progressed, I've learned just how deep my affections, and dare I say love, is for you." He slipped down onto one knee and pulled out a box made of white ice. Just as he opened the box, his eyes turned emerald green. "Marry me, Betty."

Betty's face lit up. "Oh Simon! I said yes the first time, and I'll say yes again. This time, you have to promise me you'll actually do it."

"Of course. We'll start planning it immediately. Now we'll have to do it according to ice traditions. The penguins will tie you up and lower you down, and you'll touch my beard. Then we'll be officially married."

For a brief moment, Betty looked disappointed then she smiled again. "Interesting."

"Love of mine, what's the matter?" Simon said softly, standing up and plucking the ring out of the box. He picked up her left hand and slipped the ring onto her third finger.

"It sounds unromantic," she said, holding the ring up into a ray of light to look at it.

"We can have two ceremonies," Simon said immediately. "You can design the second one."

"Really?" she asked, her face lighting up. "That sounds great! What's this ring made of?"

"Unmelting ice," Simon replied with a smile. "It's tricky to make, especially when you're trying to make it into a ring. It's harder than diamonds with twice the sparkling quality and clarity. Heat won't melt it and the colder it gets, the stronger it is. And the formula to actually make it melt is one of the Forgetfuls."

"Forgetfuls?" Betty looked interested.

"Certain formulas and solutions to problems are part of a group known as Forgetfuls. Very few have the capacity to remember them. Luckily, a part of the natural powers of the crown, not the ones controlled by Daemon, is the ability to remember Forgetfuls. I know about a hundred of them."

"Wow." She paused. "This is the longest you've been Simon, Simon."

"It's getting easier to stay conscious, but even now Daemon's trying to repress me." He paused then frowned. "He doesn't want me to marry you. He'll try to make the Ice King marry you. I swear I'll try to marry you, but…he's still quite strong. You might not marry me twice. Or even once."

"I shall love you anyway. And I know you're strong enough to marry me."

"I love you," Simon said softly, the pressure in his head building up. "Now cover your ears."

Tears stained her cheeks as he let out a howl.


	8. Half-Brother

"No!" Princess Bubblegum gasped.

"Yes," Crystal said dreamily, twirling around.

"But you can't marry him!" Wildberry Princess exclaimed.

"Why not?" Crystal asked, stopping in her tracks and leveling her gaze on the red princess.

"Because he's the _Ice King_ ," Hot Dog Princess said dramatically.

Crystal snorted. "But I love him," she said with a firm nod.

"Nobody could love the Ice King," Princess Bubblegum said matter-of-factly. "He's extremely off putting and old."

"If I recall correctly, Princess Bubblegum," Crystal said coldly. "You are quite old yourself."

"But I don't look it," she said dignifiedly.

"Ridiculous. I love him, and we're getting married. If you didn't want to be my Maid of Honor you should have just said so."

"He's just using you," the pink princess said.

Tears stung Crystal's eyes as she heard her own parents say the same thing about her beloved Simon. There was a noise behind her and the Ice King walked in, eating something.

"Hello darling," he said fondly then paused as Crystal hurriedly wiped her eyes.

Simon burst forth again and he swallowed the food and tossed the rest away as he hurried over to his love.

"Crystal! What's the matter, beloved one?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said brokenly. "Princess Bubblegum just doesn't want to be in our ceremony."

Anger darkened the green eyes as he looked at the girl who had been the object of his affections while possessed. "Something tells me she didn't say it like that."

"Your voice sounds funny," Princess Bubblegum stated, looking at him hard.

"So what if my voice sounds funny?" Simon asked. "You were rude to my fiancée. Now if you'll excuse us, we must go see Marceline. _She_ will definitely be in our ceremony."

He led Betty out to their carpet and unfurled it, helping her on it. They flew off, Simon holding her close, kissing her cheek occasionally. When they got to Marceline's, Simon walked to her door and knocked boldly. She opened the door and a look of sadness appeared in her eyes.

"What do you want, Ice King?" she asked.

"Call me Simon, my dear, if you please," Simon replied.

"Simon?" she asked breathlessly. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, Marcy, but for how long, I do not know."

She kissed his cheek and then looked behind him. "Betty? Are you alright?"

"Princess Bubblegum reminded me of my parents."

"So that's what she said," Simon said darkly.

"What?" Marceline asked.

"Her parents did not like me. They told her repeatedly that I was doing nothing but using her to further my status and career. It sounds like Princess Bubblegum said the same thing."

"She did," Betty said with a nod then gave a soft smile. "But I have a question for you." The redhead held out her left hand, showing off her ring. "Would you be my Maid of Honor for our wedding?"

Marceline's eyes lit up and she looked at Simon. "You proposed?"

"Yes."

Marceline laughed. "I would be honored, Betty. But I don't really have any dresses to wear to match such an occasion."

"That you needn't worry about, dear one," Simon said. "I have a gown in mind already. I'll have to make it myself, but that shouldn't be too hard."

"I trust it will be something I like?" Marceline asked.

"Yes, my dear. Though I don't know if Betty will like it."

"I'll like anything that you think is appropriate."

"Excellent," he said happily.

Suddenly, his vision became shrouded in red and he hissed at Marceline.

"Hybrid Halfling!" he shrieked. "Father hates you for good reason!"

Marceline stumbled back as Simon slapped her as hard as he could across the face. She gasped, falling over the couch and slamming her head against the coffee table. The skin of her head split open and black blood rushed out. Simon laughed, a harsh, grating sound.

"You are not deathless, bitch," he taunted. "You are just a pathetic excuse for a demon, a hybrid that deserves to die. Your mother was nothing but a whore and—"

There was the sound of shattering glass as Betty hit him in the head with a vase, and Simon fell into darkness. He awoke with a groan and, realizing he was still Simon, looked around. He was shocked to see Marceline sobbing on the ground with Betty holding her. He quickly crawled over to her, lightly placing his hand on the vampire's shoulder.

"Marcy? Marcy what's wrong?" he asked softly.

Marceline looked up, fire in her tear-filled eyes, but the heat died away when she saw that he really had no idea what was wrong.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" she asked, and she really was asking that.

Simon paled. "What did I say?" he asked in a tight voice.

Betty told him in a low voice, and Marceline burst into tears again. Simon did, too, and he held the poor girl tightly.

"I-I'm sorry. I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but it wasn't me. My dearest darling, I would never say that to you."

"Who was it then, Simon?" Betty asked. "You keep talking as if you're not alone in that head of yours. Who else is there?"

Simon convulsed as Daemon tried to stop him, but…it didn't work this time. Over the past five months, ever since he set eyes on Betty, the demon's hold on him had grown weaker. Now, for the first time, he fought it and stayed sane. He caught his breath and looked up at them.

"His name is Daemon," he said softly, looking down. "He's a—"

"Demon," Marceline said quietly.

"You know him?"

"No. My dad talks about him, though. He's my half-brother through my father. He's a full demon. Dad banished him to the mortal world, but he wouldn't tell me where he was banished to."

"He was banished to the ice crown. He's as stuck in there as I am. He gets amusement by making me act like…well, the Ice King. He gets joy from my pain, especially because I'm not the one doing the things that cause me to be in pain."

"Oh, Simon," Betty said, stroking his beard comfortingly.

"He's working on getting out. Once he does, he will try to kill you, Betty," Simon said seriously.

"Me? Why?"

"Because you're ruining him. If I can break completely free of his influence, he will be forced to obey _me_. He doesn't want that. And for a very, very good reason."

The last part was said darkly, and Simon actually looked dangerous. Marceline smiled, kissing his cheek gently.

"It's okay, Simon. It really is. Now, how about we play some jams?"

"Sounds great, dear, but first let me treat that head wound."


	9. Oh, Betty

"Nervous?" Finn asked as Simon smoothed his robe.

"Extremely, and not for the usual reasons," Simon laughed. "Most people know they're getting married. I don't know if _I_ will be marrying my love, or if the Ice King will. Hopefully I'll get at least one of the two."

"Don't worry, Simon. You'll get both," Finn assured him.

"Tonight will certainly be interesting," Simon sighed.

"You mean the party?"

"No, I mean the consummation."

There was a long pause and Simon looked up to see Finn with an extremely confused expression on his face.

"Finn…you do know about what married couples do on their wedding night, right?"

"They…have a party?"

"Finn, how old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"Do you know what sex is?"

"I've heard the term, but Jake gets mad at me if I ask. He also said I should never ask a girl what it is."

"Well, he was right to say you shouldn't ask a girl, but he shouldn't get mad at you."

"Will you explain it? He's not coming back here for a while, so we have time."

Simon explained it in a way that Finn understood, and by the time Jake came back to tell them everything was ready, they were talking about the boy's latest adventures. The Ice Kingdom wedding went simply. There was a thirty-minute break between ceremonies. The other ceremony was beautiful, with ice chandeliers that Simon had made. When they kissed, the room, full of incredulous royalty, clapped hesitantly, but Finn, Jake, and Marceline whooped and cheered.

Princess Bubblegum walked up to Betty after the feasting had begun. "So you really did it."

"I told you I was going to do it."

"And I told you that you shouldn't."

"I love him."

"But _why_?!" the pink girl asked.

"You wouldn't understand. His love for me is older than you. I'm the reason he captured you and the others. Because way back when, I was his princess."

"You…how old are you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Hey, Crystal, it's time for the toast," Simon said, walking over and hooking her arm.

"Great!" Betty said with a smile. She left Princess Bubblegum staring after her.

That night, when all the guests were gone, Betty was getting ready. She felt extremely nervous. She kept repeating some things. There would be a little pain, but then it would feel good. She was doing this because she loved him and trusted him. She stared in the mirror when she finished dressing, blinking at what she saw.

She wore a long, sheer, silver and blue robe. Beneath it was dark blue undergarments, which could be plainly see through the robe. It bared more skin that she'd ever shown to a male since she'd outgrown her father bathing her. She shivered. She was really getting used to the cold, but if she was honest with herself, it wasn't really the cold that made her shiver. She had never gotten this far in her relationship with Simon before. She didn't fully know what to expect.

There was a knock on the door.

"Are you alright, Betty?" he asked from the other side.

"I…I don't know," she answered honestly.

"We don't have to, you know. Not tonight."

Oh that sweet, caring man! He was being perfect. She knew he meant it, too. If she was uncomfortable, he would wait, no matter how desperate he was. She smiled and flipped off the light. Grabbing the door handle, she took a long, deep breath, letting it out slowly, then she cracked the door. Simon was on the bed in his robe, reading a book. She studied him. His beard…looked a little bit shorter than it had before. His skin tone seemed a little bit more…human. How odd. She realized he was looking at her, and she shyly stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She stared at the floor, feeling so very shy. She heard him shift, and her face grew redder as she felt his intense stare.

"Oh, _Betty_."

The way he spoke those words, with such great want and desire, gave her the courage to look up at him.

"You…you like?"

"No. I love."

She giggled. Simon always did have such a unique way of speaking. He could copy any accent, any dialect, any style of speech. He fit in with everybody. He beckoned her closer. She shyly walked forward until he grabbed her hips, pulling her into his lap. He drew his hands over the material of the robe.

"Did the penguins make this? They said they were working on something for you for our wedding night."

"Gunter gave it to me. He gave me a _*wack*_ like he was trying to tell me something, but I can't understand him like you can."

"Oh my dear. It doesn't matter. They talk about stupid stuff anyway," he said absently as his eyes drifted below her neck. She blushed again and covered herself. Simon looked up, gentleness in his eyes. "I'm not allowed to look at my wife?"

"I…Sorry…" she muttered, lowering her arms.

"I don't blame you. You usually wear turtlenecks and blue jeans. Or at least you used to. Your dresses come up to your neck, too. I love that you're so very modest."

"You do?"

"Yes. It means I'm one of the very few people who gets to see you naked. Now come up on the bed and let me admire you. I'm eager to look you over. I waited over a thousand years for this."

Betty looked away. "My body is not worth a thousand-year wait, Simon."

Simon frowned and positioned her on the bed. He straddled her hips and began slowly easing the robe open. She blushed but didn't stop him. He looked her up and down, tracing the visible parts of her breasts, trailing down her stomach to her underwear. He stopped and met her eyes.

"It does not matter if your body isn't worth a thousand years wait, though it is. You, _all of you_ , is definitely worth it. I have waited for a millennium to have sex with a woman. And you're it."

"Wait, you're still a virgin?" Betty asked, confused. "But what…the princesses!"

"I just wanted them to love me. Ice King wasn't too into physical affection because I called the shots with that, not Daemon. Being married was so important to me that even the Ice King refused to have sex without being married. And he was only married to Jake."

"…That yellow dog?"

A blue tinge appeared on his cheeks. "It's a long story. Needless to say, we are _happily_ divorced."

"Does that long story involve a princess?"

"I don't have many stories from the last ten years that don't."

She laughed then gasped as he pulled her arms out of the robe. The long sleeves had given the illusion of a turtleneck, and now she felt exposed. Leaning down to kiss her, Simon trailed his hands lightly up her sides, stopping at her bra.

"Let me see?"

Betty couldn't help the blood that rushed to her cheeks as she nodded. He didn't even bother going for the clasp on the front. In one smooth movement, he pulled it over her head. He tossed it aside and looked down eagerly. He actually shivered as he stared. He reached out and trailed his hands over the smooth, pale flesh.

"Oh _, Betty."_ This time it was a needy growl that made her tingle. And he descended upon her.


	10. Daemon

Betty reached up to stroke Simon's cheek, her hand shaking in satisfaction. His eyes flew open, but they weren't Simon's eyes, or even the Ice King's. They were red and black, promising death. And they terrified her.

She screamed and tried to get Simon off of her, but suddenly Simon's eyes burst forward and he groaned.

"Please, Betty, hang on. So close!"

She began to cry, tensing up in fear. She didn't know what was going on, but she wanted to be done with this. She never wanted to have sex again. Not if she had to look at those eyes every time she did it. Simon suddenly gave a cry that sounded pleased and triumphant. The crown on his head, which she hadn't even noticed, shook and shuddered then there was a sound like a million bottles smashing on rocks. An inky black _something_ was sent across the room. It slammed into the wall and lay there, black clouds swirling around it.

Simon pulled back and quickly slipped his robe over Betty's head then held her, shushing her. He took off the crown and set it on his bedside table. She cried and cried, gasping for breath until she thought she was going to throw up. Simon waved his hand and in it appeared ice chips.

"Here. Chew on these. Shh, it's alright. It's over now."

She finally calmed down, sucking on the ice. She pressed close then the thing across the room _groaned_. She whimpered, and Simon made sure his robe was covering her completely before pushing her behind him. The thing stood up to reveal a grey-skinned person, those red and black eyes staring harshly at her. The person growled.

"Watch it, Daemon," Simon warned.

"Yes…Master."

Simon smirked. "Ooh, I like the sound of that."

"D-Daemon? That's the demon that was in the ice crown?"

"Yep."

"What? Was I…with him?!"

"Don't flatter yourself, bitch. I'd rather fuck my hybrid sister than you."

"Kneel!" Simon barked, and the demon was driven to his knees, eyes filled with pain. "Good slave. Is there anything you want him to do, dear?"

"I want him out of our bedroom!" Betty said, her voice frantic.

"You heard her. But before you go gallivanting off to the Nightosphere, you listen well. When I call, you answer. When Betty calls, you answer faster. Not that she has any reason to make your life miserable. I do, and I plan to make very good use of my dominance of you. You will obey anything we say, or God help me, I will make you pay. Even you can't get out of unmelting ice. And I've studied much torture in my time," Simon said with a nod.

"Torture doesn't scare me."

"Fine. If you don't obey, I will leash you like a mangy mutt," Simon threatened. "I will make you walk around on all fours and bow to everyone you meet. You will not look them in the eyes or speak unless spoken to, and then, only in the politest of ways. I will make you watch while we play games with Marceline. Maybe make you join in…"

"You wouldn't dare."

Simon laughed. "If you still refuse to be a good little slave, I'll parade you around the Nightosphere like that. Do you get the point yet, Daemon? Do you?"

Daemon's gaze was full of such hatred that it was scary. Betty shrank back as his arm moved, but was surprised when he just bowed stiffly and said, "Yes, Master."

"Good. Now back to the Nightosphere with you."

"Good evening, Master…Mistress."

Simon was pleased as he disappeared in a flash of fire and darkness. He turned and tugged at the robe that covered his wife to get her comfortable again, but she slapped him across the face. Simon gasped and leaned back, bewildered.

"Betty! What was that for?"

"There was a _demon_ in our _bedroom_!" she shrieked. "And he was…his eyes were there while we were…" She began to cry again.

"Oh, Betty, this is why I didn't tell you what I was doing. You might be afraid of Daemon, but after the first few wears of the crown, I stopped being afraid. I didn't want you to worry. Not at all. I can assure you completely that it was _I_ who was making love to you the whole time. I would never let him do that to you. Besides, you heard his…sentiments on the matter. I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way. Are you tender?"

"What?" She shifted and there was a dull ache in between her legs. "Yes."

"Here, I'll go make something for you."

"No!" Betty grabbed him and jerked him back onto the bed. He looked surprised.

"Betty? Whatever is the matter?"

"Y-you can't leave me alone. Not after that!"

"Very well."

Still completely naked, he stood, scooping her into his arms. He maneuvered his way to the kitchen and formed a chair, setting her down gently.

"Better, my dear?"

She nodded. There was a _*wack*_ and she turned to see…

"Is this one Gunter?"

Simon, who was reaching into a cabinet, turned his head to look. "Yes. He's Gunter. The real one."

"Real one?"

"He's the original Gunter. He's magical and has been with me for oh…five hundred seventy-two years? Do you remember Gunter?

_*wack. wack wack. wack. waaack.*_

"Really? Wow. Okay, seven hundred twelve then. At least I had the last number right."

_*wack. wack. wack wack.*_

"No, she's my wife now. I can be naked if I want."

_*wack. wack, wack, wack.*_

"Maybe she will. Ask her."

_*wack.*_

"No, you are."

"What?" Betty asked in confusion.

"He called me an ass. And he wants to know if you'll brush him."

"Brush him? Sure. But I don't know where the brush is."

The penguin scrambled away, returning with the desired item. Betty pulled him up into her lap and began to brush in long strokes. Gunter sighed. They were each content in their tasks for a good ten minutes before the hot chocolate was done.

"I thought you were making me something to ease the tenderness?"

"I put some herbs in it, along with some peppermint for taste."

Betty set Gunter down gently, patting his head, then took the drink and sipped it. She hummed, smiling.

"Carry me to bed?"

"But I might douse you in hot chocolate. Then we'd have to take a bath…"

"A bath sounds nice, actually."

"Oh, really?"

She giggled, taking another swallow of hot chocolate. Simon smiled then carefully picked her up again, carrying her back into his bedroom. He shut the door behind him with his foot. She was set ever so gently on the bed, and he propped her up on several pillows. Betty smiled warmly and kissed him then continued to sip on the delicious drink. Simon walked over and started the bathwater. Once she had finished the hot chocolate, he stripped the blue garment off, gazing appreciatively at her bare form. She blushed.

"Stop it, Simon."

"Why? I love you. I'm not allowed to appreciated the greatest beauty I've ever seen?"

Betty's cheeks warmed even more, and she hugged herself. Usually she was so confident but she had always been unsure around Simon. Now that he saw all of her, a part of her was afraid she'd be rejected. She was suddenly swept up in his arms as he kissed her; it was gentle, yet so full of love that it hurt.

"This has been some wedding night, hasn't it," he asked, leading her to the bathtub. The tub was large and they fit easily. They had a playful splash fight that ended with breathtaking kisses. They relaxed together in the hot water until she was nearly asleep. Simon put her to bed then stood and stared at her. She was shivering slightly. She was so different than anybody in Ooo. His resolve solidified.

"Daemon, come here. Quietly," he said softly. There was a flash and the demon stood in front of him.

"Yes, Master?" he growled.

"That ice crown, you know how it works?"

"Intimately."

"Could we replicate the magic? Put it in another crown without diminishing the magic of mine?"

"You have been hooked to the crown for too long. Its effects are now permanent for you. Now that I am not a deterrent, the magic is in you as much as the crown. If the magic was siphoned from your crown, you would simply have to blast it with all your power to refill it. You would not be affected at all."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, Master. I cannot lie to you anymore. You have completely broken my power over you."

"And you hate it," Simon said happily.

"I despise you and that rotten bitch over there. If it wasn't for her, we would still be happily capturing princesses and I could siphon from your physical pain of when Finn and Jake kicks your ass."

"Those days are over forever. _Forever_. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master. So why did you call me here?"

"We're going to work on making Betty a crown like mine. I want everything. Ice power. Cold resistance. Flying. Immortality. But _no demon_."

"Yes, Master. When will we start?"

"I will call you when we have the chance. Now, away with you. I'm tired."

"Yes, Master."

There was another flash, and he was gone. Betty sat up this time, looking at him blearily. "What was that?"

"Nothing dear. I was just talking to Gunter. Time to sleep."

Simon crawled into the bed, wrapping his arm around his beautiful wife. They kissed lightly then finally fell asleep. For the first time since before the Mushroom War, there were no voices, no dark visions in Simon's sleep. It was perfect.


	11. I'm Dreaming

Simon awoke to a scream. He launched himself out of bed, ready to make good on his threats to Daemon, but the demon was nowhere. The man looked to his wife.

"Darling? What's the matter? You scared me half to death."

Betty suddenly squealed and smiled brightly. Snatching his arm, she wheeled her husband to the full length mirror in the bathroom. Simon couldn't breathe as he stared at his form. He looked like he used to. Brown hair. Green eyes. Human skin. And he wasn't too skinny or fat. He felt tears winding down his face and he crumpled.

"Oh, Simon," she cooed, kneeling down to embrace him. "It's alright."

"I'm dreaming," he said softly. "I'm married to you, I beat Daemon, and now I look like my old self. I'm either dead or dreaming."

"You're neither. My beautiful, beautiful Simon, this is true and real and so very right. Now, get up. Kiss me."

He surged up and held her close, kissing her desperately even as he cried. He pulled back then reached up to wipe his tears. Betty stopped him, instead doing it herself. He smiled.

"I love you, Betty."

"And I love you, Simon Petrikov."

"Mm, that's your last name now, too. Betty Anne Petrikov. I think it has a nice ring to it."

"Simon Dean Petrikov, I think you're right." They laughed. "Still hate your middle name?" she asked teasingly.

"Yep. It's so stupid. Dean. How does that even make sense to have as my name? It doesn't even sound Russian."

She smiled. "Then I hate it with you."

He laughed. "Want some breakfast?"

"Certainly. Pancakes?" Betty asked hopefully.

"Great! Gunter will want some, too."

"Um, Simon? I know you like to look at me," Betty said shyly as he walked for the door. "But I'm not as comfortable as you are being naked around here. I mean, Gunter seems quite intelligent. The other penguins, not so much, but Gunter…And what if somebody decides to visit us? I mean you have no door. It's just a cave."

Simon nodded immediately. "Of course. Where is your dress?"

"Most of them are back at my little cave. The one I wore here is in the guest room, but it's filthy."

"Very well." Simon paused and looked over his beloved, measuring her with his eyes. He walked over and touched her lightly, drawing his hands across her form. She looked embarrassed when he stopped at her breasts, but he suddenly jerked down and cloth flowed over her body, mirroring her favorite dress. It was actually more comfortable. She watched as he drew his hands over his hips to produce a skirt. It was dark blue and had silver snowflakes on it.

"How did you do that?"

"Forgetful."

"Nice."

"Now, breakfast."

Betty walked out, yelping as he pinched her rear. She blushed, shying away from him.

"Aw, don't be like that, dear."

"I'm still getting used to being married. Could you maybe…?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was making you uncomfortable. I shall cease and desist…for now, at least."

She giggled. "I love you."

"And I love you."

He kissed her lightly then set about preparing breakfast. He hummed to himself as he did so. Gunter came up to Betty and held out the brush.

_*wack*_

"Sure."

She brushed him until he was limp in her lap making soft little grunts of pleasure. She smiled.

"He's cute."

"But dangerous," Simon replied seriously.

"Dangerous? Little Gunter, dangerous? I can't believe that," Betty replied with a laugh.

"Gunter, go get Kitten."

Gunter gave a salute and hurried off. He came back with the cutest pink kitten that Betty had ever seen. She reached out for it, but Gunter hissed at her and pulled it back. The kitten meowed.

"What? Why won't he let me hold it?" Betty asked, hurt.

"Kitten is his daughter," Simon said matter-of-factly. "He got pregnant and birthed her. She hatched out of an egg of course."

"But Gunter is a boy."

"His magical powers grew too great to be contained. It was mating season, so his body did the only thing it could think of. It broke off a piece of his magic and sent it out as another being. And so, Kitten was born. She is only a fraction of the power he possesses. He doesn't trust you enough with her. She's a very sensitive little cat. Here, Gunter, give her to me."

 _"Why should I?"_ he asked with a _*wack*_ as he stared evenly at his owner. _"You'll just give my precious baby to her."_

"Come now, Gunter. She won't hurt her. Tell you what, she won't hold her. She'll just scratch behind her ears. Pet her a little."

_"Well…I don't know."_

"Has she ever hurt you?"

_"No. But she can be a little rough."_

"Kitten is capable of hissing, so if she's too rough, tell your daughter to hiss."

Gunter thought about it then handed his daughter to Simon. She purred and rolled over, baring her belly. Simon scratched it happily, watching her relax. Betty looked up at him, the question burning in her eyes.

"You must be gentle, and Gunter is adamant about that. Kitten is only four years old. For a normal cat, that is quite old, but she is aging very slowly. She is still naïve and immature, and she is very sensitive to physical stimulation. Besides me, the penguins are the only ones that have ever touched her."

Gunter nodded sharply, and Betty nodded slowly. "Alright."

Betty stood and approached, Gunter keeping his daughter in view at all times. She carefully reached over, jumping when the cat turned over quickly, staring at her with big blue eyes. Betty lowered her hand, feeling mesmerized by those eyes. There was such power in them, such strength. Yet they were wary of her. They didn't know how to use that power. Not correctly, at least.

 _"I could help teach you,"_ Betty thought, and the cat blinked.

_"You could?"_

_"Yes."_

_"How? You are plain as untouched snow. No magic resides within you."_

_"I was a professor back before that…huge war. I can't remember what they call it."_

_"But you know nothing of magic."_

_"We can learn together."_

The cat tilted its head then nodded once. She stood up in Simon's hands then walked through the air over to Betty. She sat down then nuzzled her face.

_"Fine."_

Betty stroked Kitten's head, smiling as she purred.

"You are adorable."

_"Thank you."_

"Betty?" Simon asked, sounding sincerely confused.

"Yes?"

"Can you hear her?"

"Yes."

"How? As far as I know, only those that possess magic can hear her. Princess Bubblegum and Finn could not hear her. Marceline and Jake could. Granted, they didn't know they were hearing her voice, but they asked who was talking several times."

Gunter let out a _*wack*_ and reached up. Kitten flew into his arms, and he nuzzled her with his face, kissing her intently. He let out his noise again and she dropped to the floor and trotted back to her place under the armchair. Betty blinked at Simon, who was staring at her strangely.

"What?"

"You continue to amaze me," he finally said, kissing her sweetly. "Now, breakfast!"

They ate a good meal then went out to recline in the living room. Simon let Betty use the holo-screen computer to research information about Ooo; she was still in the dark about so many things. He was sitting in his recliner, reading a book. There was a huge bark and, with no other warning, Jake leaped through the mouth of the cave. Simon yelled as he was charged and, without thinking, leaped into the air. He thought for a brief second that he was going to fall flat on his face, but, even without his beard…he flew. That didn't help as Jake snagged him from the ceiling and slammed him onto the ground, growling in his face. There was no movement for a minute then Simon couldn't help but make a comment.

"You're about twenty-four hours too late if you wanted to remarry me, dear."

Jake froze then burst out laughing, shrinking down to his normal size.

"Ice King I can be mad at, but you, Simon? You're too quick."

"Thank you."

"Why are you all Simon again? Wait, are you dying?!" Jake looked panicked.

"Calm yourself Jake. I'm not dying, but I want Finn and Marceline to know what happened, too. Where is the boy, anyway?"

"At home. I came to bite your head off."

"Why?"

"You told him about sex."

"Jake," Simon said with a frown. "He's fifteen. He should know about it by now. Way back when, you told them when they started hitting puberty, which was around eleven or twelve. I found out about it when I was ten. You're being too paranoid."

"I just…I just want him to stay young forever," Jake whispered. "I mean, he's not magic, and he's growing up so much faster now. Soon he'll be a man. Then he'll grow old and…and…"

"Everybody must grow up sometime, Jake," Simon said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "As for if he'll die…if I can isolate the strand of immortality from my crown, Finn will be the first one I give it to. He's such a kind, brave boy, growing up without human parents, though the ones he had were just fine. He had nobody to compare some of his experiences with. No one to relate to about how to grow up. He's turned out to be a fine boy, but he's missed so much."

"He seems to have taken a liking to you," Jake said, wiping his eyes. "I mean, the Simon part of you, not the Ice King. And he likes Betty, too."

"He might see us as something like role models, just because we're human."

"Well, he picked good ones."

"Thank you. We appreciate that greatly," Simon said with a smile. "Now why don't you fetch Finn and Marceline. We'll have lunch ready by the time you get here, then we can sit and talk about why I am fully me again."

"What? Oh, no, dude. I couldn't do that! You just got married! You probably want some alone time to, you know, _connect_."

"Oh…right. Well, come over in a week at noon then. Lunch will be provided and the tale will be told."

"Sounds good, dude. Er…sorry about being so rough with you. I was just…just…"

"Hush. I understand completely. Now, go on. Say hi to him for me."

Jake nodded then stretched out. Simon let out a breath and rubbed the back of his head. That had really hurt, and now he had a throbbing headache.

"Are you okay?" Betty asked; she had watched everything with curiosity, but had thought it wise to remain silent.

"Headache," he ground out. "And if I wasn't so magical, a concussion."

"Is there anything good for headaches?"

"Pleasant Ferns. I have some. Could you please make me some tea while I sit here? I don't think moving too much is a good idea."

"Where are the ferns? And how do you prepare them?"

"Gunter, please help her make the tea."

_*wack*_

"Good boy."

The tea was made and the steaming cup was placed in his hands. He sipped it and it immediately took the edge off his headache.

"Mm, thank you, my dear. It's rather good. Have a cup for yourself. It soothes the body and mind."

She poured herself a cup and they sat together, sipping the brew. They finished their cups, and Simon felt much, much better. Not even a pulse of a headache remained. He looked at his lovely wife and pulled her close to kiss her. She shied away when things heated up. Simon frowned.

"It won't happen again. I promise. We can truly enjoy ourselves this time."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Betty slipped into his lap and began to kiss him again. They didn't stop this time.


	12. Transference

"Simon! Good to see you as Simon again!" Marceline exclaimed happily, embracing her oldest friend.

"Simon is all you will see me as from here on out," the man replied, squeezing her tightly.

"Really? Why?" Finn asked, tracing the edge of his sword.

"Come, let's eat first."

They ate then Simon explained the situation with Daemon, from the start of his journey to the end. There was thoughtful silence for a few minutes then Finn stood up.

"So…you're now in command of one of the most powerful demons there is?"

"Yep."

"Can we see?"

"That's abusing the power, don't you think?" Betty asked.

"On somebody else? Yep. On him? Nope! Daemon, come here!"

There was a burning flame that solidified into said demon. He observed the people in the room then turned and bowed.

"Yes, Master?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh, they just wanted to see you."

"Then may I leave now?"

Simon looked thoughtful. "Go continue on with what I told you to do yesterday that you didn't finish."

"Yes, Master."

He disappeared again.

"What's he working on, dear?" Betty asked; she was paler than usual and had pressed close to her husband when the demon had been in the room.

"Something special. It is a collaborative work. Something I know you'll love."

"It's for me?"

"Yes. And a part of it is for Finn, too. The going is slow, however. We'll get it, though, don't you worry."

Jake met Simon's eyes and the man nodded with a small smile. Jake was relieved.

"So you're not the Ice King anymore?" Marceline asked, planting her feet on the floor.

"No, Marcy. Not in that way. I am a real king now, with common sense and real love. And a beautiful queen, too."

Betty blushed, slapping his arm lightly. "Stop it, Simon."

"So do we like have to call you 'your majesty' and all that bunk?" Finn asked, making a face.

"No. You three do not. You may call me Simon. The rest of Ooo, however, must show me proper respect. I am older than everybody in this land, save a few higher beings, like the Cosmic Owl. I think that entitles me to some respect."

"Damn straight, Simon," the vampire said with a laugh.

"I hope to spend time with all of you more in the future. But for now, I must go check on Daemon. He was close to a breakthrough the other day."

He levitated in the air and shot deep into the mountain, to places that only he could get to. Marceline could probably do it, and Jake, too, but they never did. Not since he became Simon and brought Betty here. Daemon was standing there, staring intently at the two crowns before him. One was Simon's while the other was to be Betty's.

"Any progress?"

"I have connected the crowns via magic. The transference can begin at any time."

"Good, good."

"Am I going to be your slave forever?" Daemon asked quietly.

Simon turned to look at the demon. There was a hardness in his face, a pain in his eyes. It was truly against his nature to be a slave.

"Talk to me after a thousand years," Simon finally said.

"That is a long time, even for my kind."

"I know. Now begin the transference."


	13. One Day At A Time

Marceline was bleeding badly and crying as her father stood over her. Princess Bubblegum was standing there watching as Finn tried to stand, but he was wounded as well. Jake was on his way, along with his girlfriend. It wasn't looking good for the two beings. Hunson reached down to grab his daughter, but there was a barking shout.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her!"

Everybody's heads turned to see what appeared to be a human man. He was darker-skinned than Finn with cropped brown hair. He wore an ankle-length. dark blue skirt littered with white and silver snowflakes, and there were slits up the sides to free up movement. His eyes held hellfire as he stared at the full-blooded demon, who laughed at him.

"Or what?"

The man, who Princess Bubblegum noticed was wearing the Ice King's crown, flung his hand out and shards of ice tore into the demon, sending black blood everywhere and flinging him back from the force. The man helped Marceline up, and she embraced him, crying.

"Simon!" she moaned.

"Shh, it's alright, Marcy," Simon crooned.

"Get your hands off my daughter!" Hunson growled, standing up and focusing on healing.

" _Your_ daughter?! I distinctly remember raising this girl from when she was six! You were _nowhere!_ "

"You abandoned her when she was eleven!" Hunson snapped.

"For her own safety! I was certifiably insane because of that damned son of yours!"

"Yeah, well, you're a…Daemon? You know about Daemon?"

Simon smirked. "Oh Daemon! Come here!"

There was a flash of black fire and Daemon stood there. "Yes, Master?"

"Daemon? You're calling a _human_ Master?" Hunson asked incredulously then began to laugh. "So much for 'I'm all powerful, bow before me!'"

Daemon's cheeks warmed, and he glared at Simon. "Are you done humiliating me?"

"No. At my command, you are to fight your father for the twenty minutes it will take me to get Finn and Marceline back to my house."

"He's deathless. _I'm_ deathless. You know that, right?"

"I didn't say you're going to kill him. I said you're going to fight him. And make it a damn good fight, too. I will be asking about it later. Then, when you're done with that, go work on you-know-what for a while."

"I hate you with the fiery passion of a thousand suns."

"And I don't give a damn. Now, fight!"

Daemon resisted for three seconds, but the pain of disobedience burned too fiercely and he lunged for his father's throat. Simon watched for a minute then firmly wrapped his arm around Marceline's waist. Finn limped over and took his hand. The human launched himself in the air and flew toward his home. He was grateful for the crown's strength boost. He landed and eased the two people into chairs. He brought out a sewing kit.

"Who's first?"

"Do Marcy first," Finn said.

"Chivalrous. I like that," Simon said with a smile. "Now, Marcy, you're going to have to strip down to your underwear. Finn, you turn your chair away."

Finn obeyed, relaxing back as he tried to fight the nauseating pain. Simon silently sewed up the multitude of deep wounds that decorated Marceline's thin frame. He remembered sewing her up three times before, and none of them had been as bad. He finished as Betty woke up from her nap. She walked out and gasped in shock at seeing a mostly naked female sitting in a chair with her husband between her legs. If she didn't know Simon so well, and Marceline for that matter, she would be rather jealous. But it was her Simon and Marceline, whose relationship was closer to father/daughter than anything else. Betty approached.

"Can I help?"

"Swab her wounds with alcohol while I check Finn over. When you're done with that, go make Pleasant Fern tea and add some Healing Crystals. They're the pink and blue ones."

Betty obeyed. Finn only had two wounds deep enough for stitches. One was on his chest while the other was on his inner thigh. Marceline pulled on her clothes while Simon sewed up the leg wound. Finn was soon dressed and gingerly sitting on a cushioned couch, Marceline beside him.

"Thanks Simon," Finn said tiredly. "Man, he was vicious today. Lucky shots."

"Why was he attacking you?" Simon asked gently as steaming cups of tea were handed to the two wounded beings. Simon took one, too, sipping it.

"He said some snarky comment about my mother, so I hit him with my bass. He was drunk," Marceline muttered, wiping her eyes.

"I thought I detected a slur in his voice," Simon said distastefully.

They sat in silence, the four of them, sipping their tea. Simon made Finn and Marceline have three cupful's, and they looked decidedly better. Marceline stared at the floor for a few minutes then, with tears streaming down her face, she sang the song that Finn had only heard in part.

_"Daddy,_

_Why did you leave me?_

_You created me,_

_So don't you wanna see me?_

_"Daddy,_

_Why did you make me?_

_If you're not gonna take me_

_To get a burger and shakey?_

_"My cursed blood is your cursed blood,_

_Come on back and be my bud._

_I can count your visits on my fingertips._

_Come back and give me presents from your business trips._

_"Daddy why did you father me,_

_If all you wanna do is bother me?_

_Don't you know that I love you?_

_When I only wanna see more of you._

_"Daddy, why did you eat my fries?_

_I bought them, and they were mine._

_But you ate them, you ate my fries._

_And I cried, but you didn't see me cry._

_"Daddy,_

_Do you even love me?_

_Well I wish you'd show it,_

_Because I wouldn't know it._

_"What kind of dad eats his daughter's fries?_

_And doesn't even look her in the eyes?_

_Daddy there were tears there._

_If you saw them would you even care?"_

Finn stared at her. "You never sang that first part before."

"I have. Just not to you," Marceline said softly.

"I guess I can understand that. It's crazy personal, after all," Finn said with a soft smile.

"Yeah. It is. Simon was the only one who'd ever heard the whole thing until now."

"And I didn't tell anybody but Gunter about it, dear," Simon said, smiling at her. "And since he can't speak human languages, your secret is safe with him."

Marceline nodded, wiping her tears away. "I appreciate the secrecy, Simon. I don't just want everybody to know that sort of thing."

"Completely understandable, my dear," Simon replied. "I wouldn't want people to know of my relationship with Daemon in the same way. Oh, the things he made me do…" Simon shifted and blushed.

There was a bark and Jake leaped through the entrance to the cave with Lady Rainicorn, Princess Bubblegum on her back. Finn moved to stand, but his leg gave a nasty throb and he sank back down.

"Are you okay?" the princess asked as she slipped onto the ground.

"Yeah. He got us both pretty good. My leg's sliced up," Finn muttered.

"Oh, you poor thing!" the pink girl exclaimed. "And you, Marceline?"

"I'll live, Bonnibel," she said tiredly.

Princess Bubblegum nodded. "That's good. Now, who's this man?"

"Simon," both teens said at the same time.

"But, Marceline, you said Simon was dead."

"He was for a while, but he beat Daemon and now he's Simon again," Marceline said firmly. "So drop it."

"So he's a zombie?"

"My physical body was alive, my dear," Simon said. "But you knew me as the Ice King. As I said to Hunson, I was certifiably insane with Daemon in my crown. But that is in the past. I am now safe and sane, and married to my Betty."

" _You're_ the Ice King?" Princess Bubblegum gasped.

"Chill, PB," Jake said. "He's cool. He's just a little weird."

"Simon is not weird. You are," Betty said reproachfully.

"Relax, Betty," Simon said.

"You mean Crystal," Princess Bubblegum said sternly.

"My real name is Betty. Betty Grof," the redhead said, inclining her head.

"No, it's not!" Simon scolded, kissing her cheek. "It is Betty Anne Petrikov!"

"Oh, of course! How could I be so forgetful?" Betty teased.

"No idea, love of my life," Simon laughed.

"I remember when you were like that with Lady, Jake," Finn said, making a face.

"If I recall correctly, you behaved like that in front of Flame Princess," Simon said thoughtfully.

"How would you know?"

"Ice King enjoyed spying on your dates," Simon muttered, embarrassed. "Daemon was hoping I'd get caught. He fed off my pain and humiliation."

"…Dude, really?" Finn asked reproachfully.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, but it wasn't me."

"Yeah. Probably the only reason Jake isn't kicking your butt right now."

"True," Jake said with a smile.

There was a growl, and they all turned to see Daemon and Hunson. Finn, Jake, Lady, Betty, and Princess Bubblegum shrank away at the power and evil that was coming off of the two demons in waves. Their clothes were quite tattered and there were bite marks and scratches all over them. Simon was pleased.

"How did it go, Daemon?"

To Simon's surprise, Daemon offered a tiny smile. "It ended up in a stalemate."

Simon smiled with him. "Good. Very good. I am glad to see my servant is more powerful than I thought."

That certainly wiped the smile off his face, and he looked down, clearly upset.

"You had my own son attack me," Hunson said distastefully.

"Well you felt like attacking your family today, so I thought I'd give you a fair fight."

"I was not attacking her. I was disciplining her," Hunson said after a moment's pause.

"Discipline is grounding or taking away a privilege or even a spanking, which Marceline is much too old for now. It is not ripping twenty-four holes in your daughter."

"You're exaggerating."

Marceline stood up, her face stony, and stripped off her shirt. There were at least eight stitched wounds on her stomach, and she turned around to reveal another seven decorating her back, plus three on her right arm and two on her left. Finn and Jake blushed deeply. Yes, she was wearing a bra, but she was their friend, and not in a sexual way, so it was extremely weird.

Hunson stared at her dispassionately. "So what? You're half demon, and a vampire to boot. You can handle pain better than any of these creatures."

Marceline growled. "Shut up, Dad. Just shut up and go away, like you always do."

"Aw, poor baby," Daemon snickered. "She wants Daddy to tuck her in at night."

Marceline blushed, looking away, but Simon was not silent.

"If I recall, Daemon, you had the same sentiments as Marceline. You just want your Daddy's approval and love."

Daemon blushed darker than his sister. "I hate you."

"I know. And I'm very glad you do. Now you know how I feel about you!"

Daemon growled and muttered under his breath several curses in Latin. Simon responded with a heavenly blessing that made both demons shriek and cover their ears. Even Marceline flinched.

"Stop it!" Daemon exclaimed.

"Peace, human!" Hunson roared.

"That stings, Simon," Marceline said, but she smiled. "Like when Mom used to pour alcohol on my wounds."

Simon smiled and mussed her hair. "Put your shirt back on dear. Finn and Jake looked decidedly uncomfortable, and they don't have the years on them to just ignore it."

Marceline nodded and painstakingly put her shirt back on. The two demons had watched uninterestedly. They had seen females naked before, so why should that bother them now? Hunson snorted.

"You seriously want my daughter, don't you?"

"Yes. I do. She is my oldest friend here. She helped me through the Mushroom War."

"You helped me more, Simon."

"I went crazy, Marcy. Certifiably crazy."

"Yes. And it was fun to watch," Daemon muttered, red eyes on Simon.

Simon turned and said something in a language that nobody understood. Nobody except the demons. Hunson burst out laughing as Daemon gaped at him.

"Hey, what language is that?" Princess Bubblegum asked.

"One you've clearly never heard," Simon replied.

"That was Swahili," Betty said. "It was spoken in Africa, in multiple countries."

"A-Africa?"

Betty studied her. "If you promise to lay off Simon, I would be happy to teach you about the world before the Mushroom War."

"I have many old textbooks down in the caves in the mountain," Simon said. "And there is something else in the mountain that I believe is time to give to Betty. What do you think, Daemon?"

Daemon shrugged listlessly. "It is finished and ready, Master."

"Go and retrieve it. And if you damage it…" There was death promised in his eyes.

"Understood."

He came back with a box, which was a touch that even Simon hadn't thought of. He peeked inside to make sure it wasn't a trap then happily handed it to his wife. She opened it and blinked.

"A crown?"

"A crown for my queen. Every queen needs one," Simon said happily as he moved behind her, poising to place it on her head. "Um, this might hurt a little. I'm not entirely sure."

She nodded, and he lowered it down. There was a _zap_ of power, and Betty screamed as her entire body turned white then went back to normal. She dropped to her knees, panting and shivering.

"That…was normal, right?" Simon asked Daemon, kneeling down to wrap his arms around his wife.

"Yes. I didn't let the crown do that to you. I let it take you bit by bit so that you were in constant pain. It was delectable. I also took your sanity bit by bit, so you were in a state of constant confusion. That was even more delectable."

"And now _you_ are _my slave._ I find that _extremely_ delectable," Simon shot back, making the demon look down and snarl angrily.

Betty finally caught her breath, and her husband helped her to her feet.

"Are you alright, dear?" he asked gently.

"I…I'm not cold anymore," she said slowly.

"Hold still."

Simon cast a screen between them, and he looked over the words displayed, nodding. He finally smiled.

"Good. Everything transferred properly. I am pleased."

"And?" Jake asked.

"And now Daemon and I can focus our efforts on that project."

"What project?" Finn asked.

"A special one for you. It's a surprise." He paused and turned to the demons. "Now, you two get out. I have power over both of you," Simon growled at them, who glared at him before disappearing. Simon nodded. "Would the rest of you like to stay for dinner?"

"Lady Rainicorn and I have business elsewhere," Princess Bubblegum said, promptly leaving with her steed without a wave or a goodbye.

"They will never trust me," Simon sighed, lowering his head. "And I don't blame them."

"Come on, dude. They'll lighten up," Jake said. "Now, what's for dinner?"

"Chicken strips and French fries," Simon said, grinning at Marceline.

"All right!"

Simon went to cook lunch, the smile dropping off his face as he sliced the fries. Yes, his queen had gotten her crown. Yes, he had beaten Daemon. Yes, he looked normal again. Yes, Finn and Jake were his friends. Yes, Marceline was akin to his daughter again. But there was so much left undone. So much left to do.

The royalty knew he was a king. Hell, he'd been the first king in the land. It was his age that had sworn him in, not fancy vows like his wife had taken. He had been grandfathered in to being royalty, but he was never invited to the meetings, never made decisions in Ooo. He hadn't cared when he was suppressed, but now? He would like to have a say. But they didn't want him to have one.

Tears wound down his face, and he gripped the table. A hand was placed on his shoulder, and he wiped his eyes, turning to see Marceline.

"I know, Simon. I know it hurts."

"What do I do, Marcy?"

"Take it one day at a time. That's what I've been doing for the last thousand years. One day at a time, one conversation at a time, one sentence at a time. You're still the coolest guy I know. And the grossest."

Simon smiled, tears in his eyes again, but for a different reason. "We're both gross dear."

They laughed as the tears fell. Marceline was right. One at a time. And he had a wonderful family to help him. Marceline got a knife and stood beside him, cutting the potatoes.


End file.
